A Single Letter
by TMNT-Queen
Summary: He's an extremely successful and well-respected doctor that's built his career up over many, many years. But when an unordinary surgery and an email lead to unforeseen circumstances, he learns that sometimes it only takes a single letter to turn your whole world upside down. (Rated T to be safe. AU where mutants walk the streets and hold jobs in society alongside humans.)
1. Chapter One

"She's going into shock!"

"We're losing her!"

Steely hazel eyes narrowed in determination and the white-coated man turned to a nearby nurse. "Get me Doctor Hayato. Now!"

"But Doc, he just got off-"

"Hayato is the best doctor we've got, and he's also our only chance at saving this young woman. I don't care if he's in a damn coma. You wake him up and tell him to get his ass up here right now."

The nurse nodded and rushed from the room as fast as his legs would carry him. Back inside the operating room, Doctor Michael Chaplin turned to his unconscious patient, intent on saving her life.

* * *

He was just stretching out on the old couch in his office for some much- needed rest when his door swung open and an out-of-breath nurse rushed in.

"Doctor Hayato, we need you in OR."

The doctor swallowed a heavy sigh and sat up again, rubbing his tired blue eyes. "I'm off duty, Sam-"

Sam at least had the decency to look apologetic. "Dr. Chaplin said for you to...ah...get your ass to the OR, sir."

Hayato sprang off the couch remarkably quickly for his size, not even sparing it a second glance as he hurried out the door. "What've we got?"

"Twenty-four year old, very fit. Details say she was in a car accident but it looks like abuse to me. Major blood loss and internal hemorrhaging."

"Stable?"

"Not yet."

The pair made it downstairs in record time and quickly scrubbed up after rushing into the room.

"About time," Chaplin snarked, but his colleague wasn't offended - he knew the other man was just tense.

Hayato slipped on some gloves and bent over the operating table, swearing under his breath at the blood that continued pulsing out of the redheaded woman's body. His blue eyes met Chaplin's and he nodded once, then set to work.

* * *

Two hours later, the woman was finally stabilized and sleeping peacefully in the ICU. Hayato had just managed to strip off his bloodstained gloves when shouting erupted in the hallway outside. The words were as yet indecipherable but whoever was yelling was headed his way. He'd barely taken two steps away from the door when it slammed open and a wild-looking man barged in.

"Where's my girlfriend?!" he demanded, eyes casting frantically around the room. "Where is she?!" Security arrived right after the man and strained to pull him back through the doorway but he wouldn't budge. That frantic gaze finally came to rest on the surprised, tense doctor in the center of the room and the man inhaled in shock. "What the h-"

The expletive cut off as one of the security guards managed to deliver a stunning blow to the back of the man's head, dropping him to the floor like a sack of potatoes. The guard sent Hayato a sheepish look. "Sorry, Doc. He heard that his girl was in the hospital apparently and just lost it. She was that redhead they brought in earlier."

Dr. Leonardo Hayato nodded mutely, his brain too exhausted at this point to process much, and carefully stepped around the unconscious man. He headed down the hallway, deciding that the situation was best left to security, clocked out, and went home for some quality down-time.

As his front door closed behind him, his shoulders sagged in absolute relief. He stumbled into the bathroom and quickly showered off; it wasn't long afterwards that he was falling face-first into bed.

He never noticed the email that was loaded onto his laptop screen, waiting to be read. And he had no idea how much that one email was going to change his life.

**A/N: Anyone want to take a guess as to what's going on so far? Or try and summarize it, maybe? **

**Anyway, I'm going to bed. Books should be updated soon. G'night. XD**


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

When Leo awoke, it was already late afternoon, probably around four o'clock (if the soft golden light flooding through his bedroom window was anything to go by). He yawned and climbed out of bed, starting to pad to the kitchen for a snack, but his journey was cut short by the insistent flashing from his laptop.

A frown crossed his face and he made his way over, pulling up the email and quickly scanning it.

_Doctor Hayato,_

_On behalf of Saki Industries, Inc., I would like to extend to you a job offer at our new, state-of-the-art hospital in New York City, New York._..

Leo's mouth dropped open in shock as he took in the tentative sum they'd put in. It was an enormous amount of money, and far more than he was currently making...

...but everything he had was here in Vancouver. The life he'd carved for himself through med school, job hunting, and the willpower that came from pure desperation alone landed him in a community where people were far more accepting of mutantkind than he'd originally thought. His friends - the few people he really trusted -, his...well, no, not his family. Leonardo _had _no family. But his friend Usagi was here, and also that cute nurse from the pediatrics ward (Jay? No. Joi. That was her name.). What did he have in New York?

_Nothing_. There was nothing and no one for him there. What's more, he knew nothing about the political climate and how people felt about mutants there.

Of course, it was New York, so it couldn't be_ too _bad.

Leo groaned and flopped back on his bed, squeezing his eyes shut again. "I need a second opinion."

An idea sprang to mind that filled him with a strange sort of hope and anxiety all at once. Usagi was off of work today and they hadn't been able to hang out recently. If anyone would be able to help, it was the rabbit.

**TMNT/TMNT/TMNT**

They met at one of the small cafés on the edge of Vancouver, where mutants were well-received and Leonardo himself was lesser-known. As soon as he stepped into the establishment he located his good friend - after all, it wasn't difficult to spot the tall ears across the room.

Usagi smiled at him as he sat down, and pushed a steaming cup in his direction. "I took the liberty of ordering tea for you. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Leo replied gratefully, taking a long sip of the coveted beverage.

The pair settled easily into conversation, both knowing they had some catching up to do. Usagi lived and worked twenty minutes away from his turtle friend; he held a teaching position at a martial arts school as one of their senseis. The snow-white rabbit mutant had lightning-fast reflexes and had quickly made a name for himself in the martial arts world.

His classes were going well, he said, and he was looking forward to seeing many of his students graduate soon.

_In another world, he might've been ninja_, Leo mused silently - and then snorted as an image of Usagi in ninja garb crossed his mind. _Samurai is more likely._

"So, Leonardo, is there anything new in your life since we last met? The hospital job is going well, yes? Have you spoken to Joi at all?"

A fine flush covered Leo's cheeks at the mention of the blonde woman but he shook his head. "Not yet...but actually, there was something I could use your help with."

"What is it, my friend?"

As succinctly as possible, he explained the situation, and Usagi was soon nodding to him.

"I believe you should try it. Go for the preliminary meeting and see what happens."

"And if nothing happens?"

"Then you still have a job here."

Leo huffed a little and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "But...what if something_ does _happen? What if I have to leave all of this behind?"

At that, Usagi fixed his hazel eyes on the turtle's face. The stare was clear and unwavering and filled with a sort of acceptance. "The only constant we have in this world is change, Leonardo. You can either face it head on or run from it. There is no third option."

"...fair enough. But Usagi...my whole_ life _is here. Everything I've worked for since..." _Since I had a say in my own life. _Since he'd finally gotten out of the foster system, out of that hellhole they called a town in the middle of absolutely nowhere.

"I know, my friend. And _you_ should know that whatever decision you make, I will lend you my support - even if that decision puts you halfway around the world."

The smile that Usagi gave him sent a warm feeling through his veins and made tears prick at his eyes. He swallowed and offered a watery smile in return. "Thanks."

"What are friends for?"


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

_"Ladies and gentlemen, as we start our descent, please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position. Make sure your seat belt is securely fastened and all carry-on luggage is stowed underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Thank you."_

The pilot's voice sounded over the intercom, jolting Leo from the sleep he'd somehow managed to find on the nine-hour flight to JFK International Airport. His eyelids snapped open as the passenger beside him slammed their tray upright - Leo didn't miss the annoyed look the man cast his way.

Maybe mutants_ weren't_ as well received here as he originally thought.

_Well...too__ late now._

Another forty-five minutes and the doctor was making his way across the crowded airport lobby amidst screaming children and the rest of the buzzing crowd.

As Leo stepped out of the airport, he took a deep breath of the crisp New York air. In the middle of April, there was still a chilly bite to the breeze; he wrapped his coat a little more securely around his torso and headed down the sidewalk to check in at his hotel.

Being a mutant turtle, and an almost six-foot-tall one at that, Leonardo found that the crowded sidewalks weren't nearly so crowded for him. Pedestrians readily moved out of his way, and though he got a few dark looks, people left him alone for the most part.

Leo made it to his destination within a few short minutes. The concierge was a middle-aged Hispanic man who looked mildly surprised to see him standing in front of the desk. "Good evening, sir. May I help you?"

"I just need to check in," Leonardo replied pleasantly, offering a warm, if small, smile.

"Name, please?"

"Leonardo Hayato."

The concierge quickly located his reservation and handed him a set of key cards. "Room 203. Enjoy your stay, Mr. Hayato."

"Thank you."

_Maybe New Yorkers aren't all bad, _Leo thought to himself on his way upstairs. He found his room with ease and walked in, searching the space to make sure there weren't any..._surprises. _

Old habits die hard.

Finally satisfied that his room would be at least semi-comfortable and safe for his three-day weekend in The City That Never Sleeps, he set down his suitcase, locked the door, and collapsed face-first onto the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

**A/N: Okay, so kind of a filler chapter. We'll get to the good stuff soon. **


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

The frigid air nipped at Leonardo's beak, and he pulled his cup of tea towards his face in an effort to keep warm. The barista had barely batted an eye when he walked up to the counter - something for which the turtle had been undeniably grateful. Nearly nine million people inhabited New York City, and he was the target of many of those gazes. Scarce were the moments in which he_ didn't _receive a wide-eyed look or even a glare from a bundled-up stranger.

_I can't even blend in here in the City of Dreams,_ Leo mused almost mournfully. Not that he'd expected to blend in. It was more of a pipe dream.

_"In this life, the world is your enemy. Trust no one."_

Ice shot through Leo's veins and the travel mug slipped from his hands to crash on the sidewalk as the words echoed in his mind like a dream, or...or maybe a memory. His blue eyes turned stormy, pupils dilating; the world around him suddenly seemed too loud.

_Stifling heat, burning lungs, watering eyes. Screaming, pain, death, darkness. _

_Nothing._

"-ir? Sir, can you hear me? Are you alright?"

There were hands gripping his shoulders, hands of a stranger. Grey eyes peered into his as the ebony-haired woman kept speaking, trying to get his attention.

He took a shaky breath and managed to form a reply. "I'm...I'm okay." _I think. _"Thank you for your help. I'm Leo."

The woman nodded, pulling away a little bit, and Leo almost mourned the loss of contact. "Sara." She paused as if wanting to say something, then changed her mind. "You seemed really out of it for a minute there," she said finally.

"It's probably just jet lag," Leo told her, and hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.

He must've pulled it off because she nodded again and helped him stand. "Can I get you a cab?"

"I'm actually headed right down this street. I have an interview at Saki Industries."

Immediately, Sara's expression changed, becoming guarded. "Why would you want to get a job there, especially if you're a-" Her words cut off suddenly and her eyes went cold, fixed on something behind him. She swallowed.

"If I'm a what?" Leo prompted.

"Nothing. Good luck on your interview." And that said, she turned and walked quickly in the opposite direction.

Leonardo gaped after her, puzzled over the strangeness of their meeting and parting. What had she seen to make her act like that - and, more importantly, what was she going to say to him before she changed her mind?

His head swam again and he grasped the wall to keep upright. There was something very wrong going on in the City That Never Slept.

But it was now fifteen minutes before his interview, and he had no more time to dwell on current events. With a sigh of resignation, Leonardo continued his journey towards the suddenly ominous-looking skyscraper at the end of the block.


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

"If the patient received trauma to the clavicle- Doctor Hayato, are you alright?"

The mutant's gaze snapped forward. His cheeks reddened as he found the other doctors eyeing him. "I'm sorry. I didn't have time to rest before this interview, and I'm afraid jet lag is catching up with me."

He could sense the board's disapproval, but one of the women nodded, amber eyes flashing as her dark hair swished with the movement. "We will adjourn until tomorrow, then."

Leonardo blinked, unused to the peculiarity of the offer, before nodding in return. "Thank you."

"Your gratitude is unnecessary, Doctor," she replied. Those eyes flashed again and she gave him a small smile that made his stomach flutter.

He dazedly made his way downstairs and onto the street again, thanking the stars for his lucky break. It wasn't that he was all that tired - he was a _doctor_, for Pete's sake - but he couldn't stop thinking about what Sara had been mentioning earlier.

_Why would you want to get a job there, especially if you're a-_

There had been a flash of something on her face right before she'd cut herself off, but Leo still didn't know what it was.

He sighed and pulled his headphones out of his messenger bag, deciding to listen to the news instead of his own depressing thoughts - if he was going to be depressed, it was going to be for a legitimate reason.

_"-onight, a well-known and much beloved mutant is seeking employment with one of the most powerful companies in the world. Doctor Leonardo Hayato was seen entering Saki Industries in Manhattan this afternoon, and many are speculating that the doctor is trying to secure a place in the human world before interspecies relationships crumble completely. Is it an unintentional sellout or is something much bigger in play?"_

A sick feeling swirled in Leo's gut and he ripped his headphones off again; suddenly, it felt like too many eyes were on him, and he wanted to melt right through the sidewalk.

_Sellout. _Sellout to what? When - and more importantly, _why -_ had he become such an important person in the eyes of the public?

Brushing off the unfamiliar questions, the twenty-eight year old ducked his head and hurried back to the hotel where he was staying.

* * *

By the time Leo reached the second floor, that sick feeling had settled into something more like dread, and he didn't know why.

And then he realized that his door was cracked open.

Alarm bells shrieked in his mind but he crept forward anyway, old habits from his years in the foster system taking over. He dropped low in a crouch as he approached the door and slowly, silently pushed it all the way open.

His room was completely trashed. The bed and sofa had been ripped apart, the window was shattered, glass littered the plush carpet, and-

Leo's heart stopped and all of the blood drained from his face; his knees buckled and he barely caught himself on the door handle.

On the wall above the bed, in dripping red paint, was scrawled a message:

_DEATH TO MUTIE TRAITORS_

* * *

He was cold. No matter how many blankets the hotel staff gave him, no matter how close he sat to the fireplace, his fingers still trembled and his feet refused to warm up.

Leo knew what the signs of shock were, and he knew he was probably in shock right now, but all he could think about were those glaring words.

"-would be happy to offer you a new room, sir," the manager was telling him, wringing his hands nervously. The human was barely five foot seven, meaning that Leo would have towered over him had he been standing, and that fact had not escaped either of them. "The best room that we have. Just say the word and-"

"I- I'll be back soon," Leo mumbled, standing up and walking away. He left the poor manager a stuttering mess, but it was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

The police had already been called, had already examined the room and collected as much evidence as possible, but they'd informed him that due to a current shortage of personnel, he would have to come down to the station and give a full statement.

"Outta the way, freak!" Someone slammed into Leonardo with enough force to knock him off-balance, and it was only then that he realized he was standing in the middle of the sidewalk, disrupting the natural foot traffic. The man who'd run into him swore at him and continued on his way, and other people shot him dark glares in addition.

His cheeks burned again and he quickly hailed a cab. He didn't relax until he was in the backseat of the cab, well on his way to the police station.

But no matter how fast the cab driver went, Leo couldn't escape the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that his time in New York was only about to get more dangerous.

**A/N: Stuff is going to start ramping up in the next chapter, guys. I was still laying out groundwork with these past couple chapters, but there's a "new" character being introduced next time (new to the story, anyhow) and I'm pretty sure you'll like it. :D**


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

Leo's heart pounded as he made the short trip down to the police station. He couldn't stop thinking about that awful message - about what might've happened if he was in his hotel room at the time it was ransacked.

The renowned doctor hurriedly paid the taxi driver and headed up the steps of the precinct, anxious to just get this all over with so he could go back to nice, quiet Seattle and his steady job and his friends. Well...colleagues.

Leo made his way to the front desk and was directed down the hall by the tired-looking secretary to a small office labeled "Hamato."

A small shiver ran down the back of his neck as he stared at the name. Something about it seemed familiar to him - he just couldn't put his finger on it. Before he could either figure it out or knock, the door opened, and his knees nearly gave out.

Behind the desk was a mutant turtle, and he looked just like Leo.

**TMNT/TMNT/TMNT**

Raphael was having a pretty good day - at least until he received the news that nine thousand dollars' worth of jewels were stolen from the home of a very wealthy woman who just so happened to be a major patroness of the police department, and that it would be his job to track down the missing assets. He scowled down at the phone on his desk, wishing it would spontaneously combust.

The officer who was unlucky enough to deliver the news to him made for the door and offered a polite greeting to whoever was on the other side. The greeting turned to a question of concern, and only then did Raph look up.

And choke on the swig of coffee he'd just taken. "Holy shit...you're a turtle."

The other turtle snorted and brushed the concerned officer away, loosening his rumpled tie as he finally entered the smallish office. "Good job, Captain Obvious."

"Hey, no need to be rude. I'm just surprised, s'all. It's not often I come upon other people like me."

"We're not exactly what I'd call 'people,' Detective."

Raph gave him a dour look but nodded towards the chair on the opposite side of his desk. "Take a seat."

He did so, unbuttoning the jacket of his rather nice-looking, well-tailored suit as he sat down. "My hotel room was torn apart earlier; they told me I needed to come give a complete statement in person."

"Have you filled out any paperwork yet?"

"No. I just arrived recently and the officer at the front desk pointed me back to you. I really have no clue what I'm doing here."

"Okay. That's fine. I'm gonna need your name, address, contact information, all that jazz."

"I'm Doctor Leonardo Hayato-"

Raph was thrown for a loop at the mention of Leo's last name. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Hayato? It's Japanese."

_I gathered that. It just sounds a lot like... _He brushed it off quickly. There would be time to wonder later on. "Where are you from, Doctor?"

"Please. Leo is fine. I live in Seattle, but I was out here to discuss a job offer. I went to the meeting this afternoon and when I came back, my room was just...destroyed."

The detective nodded, asked a few more questions and typed the required information into his computer, then sent an alert to the rest of the department to let them know. When he was finished, he glanced over at Leo, who was fiddling with his tie again.

"Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

"The hotel offered me a free room, but I'm not entirely certain I'm comfortable staying there, given what happened."

_Understandable_, Raph thought to himself. And then, before he could even really think about the consequences, and because he had absolutely no sense of self-preservation, an alternative solution popped out of his mouth. "I've got a room at my apartment, if you're interested. I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to. The offer's there, s'all." His babbling came to an abrupt end as he bit down on his lip.

Leonardo looked surprised, to say the least. He blinked, and those oceanic blue eyes were unreadable as he finally said, "I'll gratefully accept that offer. Thank you, Detective."

A Mikey-sized grin threatened to overtake Raphael's face so he grunted and held out his hand instead. "Call me Raph."

**A/N: Told you you'd like the new character. ;)**


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

It was a long shot - he knew it would be a long shot before he even picked up the phone. Donatello was a professor at MIT, one of the best there was, and Raph was calling him right in the middle of the workday. If Don even picked up it would be a miracle.

Raphael's bright gaze focused on a point beyond the doorway of his office, where he could see Leo chatting quietly with other officers. As the detective watched, Leo threw back his head and laughed - a sound that filled Raph's gut with warmth and made the corners of his eyes crinkle.

He blew out a long breath and pressed the green button on his phone screen, hoping against hope that his call wouldn't go to voicemail again. But the phone rang...and rang...and rang. Right before he'd given up hope, there was a click as the call connected.

_"-re you okay? What happened? Did you get hurt?"_

Raph should've known that the first thing the genius would do would be panic. "No, Don, I'm not hurt. I just had some questions for you."

_"Is this part of an investigation?"_

"Of sorts," Raph hedged, tensing. He'd hoped that his brainy brother would answer the questions he had without getting too irritated about it, but given the fact that the last conversation they'd had ended in a massive argument, he didn't see this going over too well.

"D'you remember if there was ever another turtle in the background when we were growing up? He probably disappeared when we were real little, since I've got no memory of him when we were older-"

_"What in Darwin's name are you talking about?"_

"I met this guy at the precinct earlier and he was a _turtle, _Don. I swear that I'd seen him before, and I figured that if anyone would know it would be you."

_"You seriously called me in the middle of my workday for this?"_ The disbelief in Donnie's tone wasn't hard to pick out. _"After six years, Raphael, _this _is why you call? I mean, I thought you were injured or worse, Mr. I-Chose-Policework-as-my-Career. You interrupted my class because you thought there's some _slight _possibility that a random guy off the street was-"_

"You didn't see him, Don! You didn't talk to him! Shit, Donnie...it's like my brain recognized him or something, like I was looking into a freaking mirror."

Donnie fell silent, and Raph could almost _see _him turning the words over in his mind. _"...how long is he in town for?"_

"Three more days. I'm not working this weekend, so I offered to show him around."

_"Take him to Morning Star for breakfast on Sunday."_

The slightest flutter of hope appeared in the cop's heart but he pushed it down a little, unwilling to give it free reign just yet. "Are you saying you'll be there?"

_"I'm neither confirming nor denying."_ But there was a fondness in Don's voice now - Raph could almost picture a small smile on his face. _"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lecture to finish. _O-genki de, _Raphael." _

_"O-genki de," _Raph whispered as his younger brother hung up_. _

His golden eyes welled up with tears but he blinked them away, roughly brushing his sleeve across his face to clear any lasting evidence of the moisture.

His gaze landed on his cellphone again and he reached for it as an idea appeared in his mind - but his hand stilled right before he touched the device.

_He has a right to know. If Leo really_ is_ our long-lost brother, he should know too._

But Raphael hadn't spoken to him in several years; the last time his baby brother called was several months after their big argument, and that was only to say that he was safe and sound in California, and to tell Raph not to worry about him anymore because it wasn't his responsibility.

And then he pictured the youngest's face when they were kids, how he'd always said he wanted a big brother - yeah, sure, Raph and Don were fine siblings_. Great_, even. But he'd always claimed there was something missing. That their little family unit wasn't balanced.

And for the second time that day, the detective swallowed his pride and pressed the _C__all _button.

**A/N: Have an extra update. Merry Christmas. ;)**


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

Raph's thick fingers tapped impatiently on his desk as he waited for his baby brother to pick up. "C'mon, c'mon..."

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the call connected. _"Mike Angel."_

"Hamato Michelangelo, you are wanted for possession of and intent to sell marijuana in the state of-"

_"Whoa, hold on! I never intended to sell-" _The words cut off in a sudden beat of silence; something must've connected in Mikey's brain because he spluttered on the other end of the line. _"Raph?! Holy shit, dude, you gave me a friggin' heart attack!"_

The emerald-skinned turtle chuckled, more to himself than to his brother - at least until the first sentence repeated itself in his head. His golden eyes grew stormy and he frowned. "Mike, you better not have any dope or I'll fly across the country and kick your surfer ass, you hear me?"

_"I was kidding, bro, honest!"_ Maybe not so honest, but Mikey was an adult now and could do what he wanted. So there. _"Anyway, is there a particular reason you decided to call?" _

There was no denying the frosty edge to his words, and Raphael winced, dropping his gaze to the floor. "I wanted your opinion on something. I already talked to Don."

_"You talked to Don? May wonders never cease."_

For the sake of his sanity, the detective ignored the very pointed barb. "Mike, I...I found another turtle."

More silence. Then, _"Dude, seriously. Turtles _do _exist in New York, y'know. It's rare, maybe, but it happens."_

Raph huffed in frustration and dragged his callused hand over his head. "Not a normal turtle, moron. A mutant. Like us." He took a shaky breath and finally dared to say the thing that had been on his mind ever since Leonardo stepped through the precinct doors. "I think...I think he might be our brother, Mike."

_"No."_

"What?"

_"I said _no_, Raph. This isn't gonna be like last time when you thought you found Mom and it turned out to be absolutely nothing. I'm not gonna get my hopes up again, do you hear me?" _His voice wavered like he was fighting back tears. _"Ever since Dad-" _

Raphael froze, heart pounding in his ears. His brain screamed against the memory of that awful night.

But Mikey didn't continue the thought - and when he spoke again, the words were quiet. Defeated. _"I just__... I can't do it again."_

"Mike... I'm for real this time. This is the real deal. It's gotta be. _He's_ gotta be. Look, man, Don's coming out here Sunday morning to check it out. Why would he bother if it wasn't legit?"

_"If Don's coming then so am I." _There was so much fire in those six words that it threw Raph for a loop.

He blinked and shook his head, forgetting that his brother couldn't see him. "No, Mike."

_"Whaddya mean, 'no'?! Raph, if he's the real deal like you said, then I should have some say in when I get to meet him!"_

"You ain't coming, Mikey. I'm serious."

_"Give me one good reason why I can't come."_

"Because California is a helluva lot farther away than Boston, that's why. I'm not gonna let you blow your money on a round trip plane ticket just like that."

_"Then what the hell am I supposed to do, Raph?"_

"Look, he's headed back to Vancouver in a few days. If this pans out, you can go see him there, a'ight?"

_"So I'm just supposed to sit here for the next few days while you guys hang out with someone who could very well be our missing brother?"_

"You're gonna do your job and keep earning money," Raph said in his sternest big brother voice.

There was another pause and then a sullen _"Fine._"

Raph let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "Okay. Good."

_"But Raph... you'll... you'll let me know, right? If he's actually...I mean-"_

"Yeah, shellhead. I'll let you know."

_"Thanks. I'll, um... I'll talk to you later. Love you, Big Brother."_

_I love you too, _Raph tried to say, but the words lodged in his throat and tears pricked at his eyes. He hadn't heard that phrase in a long time, not since the collapse of their little family unit.

As the call disconnected, he sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening that this time, he wouldn't mess up.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

Raphael dropped his messenger bag on the floor and pulled out a key from inside his shirt collar. He inserted the key into the well-worn lock on the apartment door, jimmied it for a second until it turned, and pushed the slightly battered door open.

"Home sweet home," the detective mumbled as he stepped inside the smallish apartment, with Leonardo close behind. "Guest room is down the hall - first door on the left. Bathroom's at the end. Make yourself at home."

Leo glanced around the apartment - for what, he didn't know. The living room and kitchen were combined into one big space, much the way a studio apartment would be arranged. The furniture was clean, if a bit worn, and the two windows would have let in a good amount of light had it not been eleven o'clock PM.

After a moment, Leo turned and headed down the hall to the guest room. He placed his suitcase on the floor and surveyed the room; again, clean, worn furniture. The window in this room provided a view of the alleyway below - filthy, as most alleyways were, and inhabited by a few stray cats.

The doctor sighed to himself as he settled down on the bed and did his best to relax. His host was making his own last rounds before turning in for the night; the bulkier turtle poked his head in the doorway and offered a warm, lopsided smile. "G'night," Raphael said quietly. Something on his face, or maybe something in his voice, unsettled Leonardo, but he couldn't pinpoint it.

"Goodnight," he replied anyway, returning the smile.

It was only after Raph's door shut and the lights in the apartment were off that Leo realized what he'd seen.

It was the expression of gratefulness, of triumph, on Raphael's face. Like he'd won...or maybe found something that he'd lost long ago.

* * *

Breakfast was eaten in relative silence the next morning. Raph hurriedly greeted his guest, shoveled cereal into his mouth as fast as he could, and rushed out of the apartment with a promise to be back before midnight.

Leo sat awkwardly at the bar for a few moments before shaking himself from his stupor. The rest of his interview wasn't until one o'clock - which meant that he had approximately seven hours to do whatever he wanted.

First on his agenda was completing his exploration of the apartment.

A sweep of the bathroom revealed nothing of interest, but there was something in the living room that he'd missed last night: the large canvas print that hung above the sofa. It was about the only new-looking thing in the room, and when Leo really looked at the print, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

It was a photo of Glasgow, Montana.

A chill shot down the turtle's spine and he swallowed against the lump in his throat. In all twenty-eight years of his life, he'd never once seen a published print of that town - which meant that whoever had taken the picture had been someone close to Raphael, since the detective had never even been outside of New York State, according to what he'd told Leo.

But why that town? Why that picture?

Leo ignored the strange feeling in his gut in favor of taking a peek in the master bedroom. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have snooped like this, but there were far too many coincidences for his liking already.

As with the other rooms, this bedroom held old and well-used furniture, a few empty mugs here and there, and on the desk…

Ice coated Leonardo's veins as he zeroed in on two particular items. Not the notebook, not the empty beer bottle, but the two framed photographs. One was a picture of a man and a woman - the exact same woman he'd operated on a few long weeks ago, and the man who'd burst into the operating room - and the other was a picture of a family. Raphael's family.

A graying, man-sized rat mutant smiled at the camera as he was encased on all sides by three laughing turtles, who could've been no more than seventeen or eighteen years old themselves.

Something screamed in Leo's mind and he stumbled backwards. His stomach churned as he fled first the room, and then the apartment. He wasn't sure why he was panicking, only that something in that photo seemed all too familiar and he didn't know why. His head felt like it was splitting open, and still he ran. He ran until he could run no more, and when his knees finally gave out, he realized that he'd made it all the way to Central Park before collapsing on the cold ground.

_What is going on?_

**A/N: I hope this chapter made relative sense to you guys...things are finally coming together in my head, but there are a few kinks I still need to work out. *shrugs***

**Anyway, g'night, guys. ;)**


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

After a long while, Leo pulled himself together enough to go back to the apartment, change, and head to the hospital for the remainder of his interview. He made it to the conference room with minutes to spare and once again caught glances of disapproval from the board members.

The meeting passed in a blur. Before he knew it, the room was empty of everyone except the amber-eyed woman from the previous day. "How do you feel about the interview, Doctor?"

Leo shook his head as the woman shuffled her papers. "Not as well as I'd hoped," he admitted. "I've made quite a few errors this week. I'm not usually this sloppy." He made no promises about that - promises meant nothing in the medical world, and there was nothing they'd change at this point.

"I think you've got a good heart. Whether you're hired or not, you'll do great things in this industry." She finally finished straightening her paperwork and turned to shake the turtle's hand. Leo tried not to notice the way her entire hand fit easily in his palm. "Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for your time," the mutant replied quietly, offering a smile.

And just like that, it was over. Leonardo walked out onto the sidewalk again, turning to glance up at the enormous building one last time. An odd sense of foreboding settled into his veins and he shook his head to clear it.

Before he could decide what to do next, his phone buzzed against his hip. It was a message from Raphael.

_Early dinner at Buck's?_

Leo grinned despite himself and quickly fired back an answer.

**TMNT/TMNT/TMNT**

Buck's was a small bar located near Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. The dim lighting and relatively quiet atmosphere made it a great choice for two mutants seeking to blend in. _But even still..._

"Are you sure this is right?" Leo asked for the third time as the turtles stood in front of the building. His hands clenched into fists and he shoved them into his coat pockets.

Raphael shook his head and tried not to laugh at his obviously nervous guest. "Yeah."

"But it looks...sketchy."

Now the cop did laugh. "You did not just use the word sketchy. What are you, twelve?" A flush settled onto his guest's cheeks, but before he could voice his indignation, Raph soldiered on. "Relax, Doc. I'm kidding. Talk however you want. And don't worry about Buck's. I've been here millions of times. It's perfectly safe."

**TMNT/TMNT/TMNT**

"Your definition of safe is obviously not the same as mine," Leo yelped, ducking down behind the corner of the bar as another beer bottle was hurled his way. Beside him, Raph grinned and swung his fist into an unsuspecting drunk's jaw.

"Aw, lighten up a little bit. It's just a bar fight. Surely you've been in one before."

"I absolutely have not!" the twenty-four year old cried indignantly...and was promptly interrupted by someone's boot crashing into his unprotected skull. He was out like a light, slumping face first onto the questionably sticky floor.

As he managed to put his own opponent out, Raph turned to crow in victory, but his triumph quickly turned into dismay and he swore under his breath. The bar's lighting, dim as it was, did little to conceal the dark red substance welling up from the gash on Leonardo's head. "Alright, bud, let's get you out of here. Up and at 'em."

The smaller turtle groaned as Raph heaved him upright, and a pained grimace flashed across the detective's face. At least he was alive.

The two mutants hobbled out the door and down the street - just in time, too, as red and blue lights reflected on the buildings nearby. Another curse dropped from Raphael's lips and he quickly swung them down a nearby alleyway, heading out the other side as quickly as he could, Chief Vincent's voice echoing in his mind. _"Don't make this any harder than it already is, Detective."_

His heart pounded against his plastron and he gritted his teeth together. Despite himself, he couldn't keep from glancing over his shoulder during the long walk back to his apartment.

**A/N: Buck's is a fictional place; I thought about using a real bar in NY, but I've never been to any of them and I didn't want to insinuate anything about someone's business.**

**Please review! :D**


	11. Chapter Eleven

_A/N: As per requested, here's a new chapter! (Somewhere between watching Rachel Maksy and Bernadette Banner on Youtube and sewing my own clothes, my muse finally kicked into high gear and started churning out words for me.) I started the main portion of this last night, but finished the rest today, so...enjoy! _

**Chapter Eleven**

"Probation?! Chief, you can't be serious."

_"I can and am."_

"But I'm the best detective you've got! And what about the missing assets case?"

_"It's been reassigned. I'm sorry, Raphael. I can't have my officers starting bar fights."_

Raph pulled the phone away from his ear and scowled at it, internally cursing whoever had tipped Chief Vincent off about the brawl. "Chief-"

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line and Vincent barked an order to someone else before cutting Raph off. _"I have to go. Look, just...take some time off, Hamato. Your job will still be here when you get back."_

The line went dead as she ended the call, and for the first time in several years, Raphael had no idea what to do with his life.

* * *

Leonardo woke up with a lecture on the tip of his tongue, but his words of indignation died unspoken at the crestfallen look on Raphael's face.

"What happened?" Leo croaked out as he sat up, trying to ignore the sledgehammer happily pounding away at his skull. His large fingers gingerly felt around on the top of his head until they located the neat row of stitches there.

"Last night, or twenty minutes ago?"

Raph's voice was dull and quiet, and Leo frowned. "I think I can take a guess about last night, so…what happened twenty minutes ago?"

"I got put on probation," the detective said miserably. "One more strike and I'm gone."

"What? Why?"

"Someone tipped the Chief off about the bar fight. She told me to take some time off."

"They put you on probation after one fight? That hardly seems fair."

"It's not the first time it's happened."

"What do you mean?" There was no judgement on the doctor's face, only curiosity - and maybe a bit of concern.

Raph grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. "A couple years ago-" _More like six or seven._ "-my brothers and I got into a big argument. They wanted to leave New York and start new lives for themselves. As usual, my temper got the best of me and I lashed out at them. This city was all we'd ever known, and I didn't understand why they'd want to leave, especially after..."

_"Dad is **gone**, Raphael. It's time you realized that and moved on with your life."_

_"Yeah, dude. You could come with me to Cali - there's lots of hot surfer chicks out there. You're bound to find at least one you like." Mikey's eyes twinkled and he nudged his oldest brother, but his smile died when Raph shook his head._

_"There's still too much left for me here."_

_"Like what?" Donatello snapped. "The Foot Clan is disbanded, Shredder's dead, you've got nothing left to fight for here. Come with us. Let the past go, and start over."_

He shook his head to clear the memories away and chuffed a laugh. "Things blew up and they left anyway, told me they weren't coming back. Ever. I was in a bad place. I'd just lost Dad, and then after I lost the guys, too, I...I didn't have anything else. Even my job was- well, it wasn't great. Clean, that is. I was a security guard, which was really just a front, because the people I was working for were paying me under the table to be their hitman, basically. I started hitting the bottles pretty hard, too."

Tears stung at Raphael's neon eyes and he blinked them away, dropping his gaze to the floor. "My best friend pulled me out. Finally managed to get clean, get a decent job. Every once in a while, though, I just kinda...slip up and start something."

"Like last night," Leo murmured. "I'm sorry, Raph."

The detective flinched, eyes going wide in shock. It was the first time that the emerald turtle had used his nickname - but for some reason, it sounded way too familiar coming from his mouth.

"Everything okay?" There was concern in Leo's expression again.

Raph nodded and stood up. "Yeah. Yeah, everything's...everything's good. I just need some air, I think. I- It's been a long couple of days."

"Okay," came the uncertain response, but it barely registered in Raph's mind as he hurried out into the hallway and closed the apartment door behind himself. He made it all the way to the stairwell before his knees gave out and he sank to the steps. His heart pounded against his plastron and he pressed a hand to the scarred, cloth-covered keratin.

Every passing day brought some new twist. It felt like puzzle pieces were clicking into place. He couldn't see the full picture yet, but he had a sinking feeling that when everything connected, he wasn't going to like what he found.

* * *

_A/N: What'd you think about this chapter? It seems like Raph is finally putting two and two together, but we'll see if it'll really add up to four. _

_In this storyline, the three turtles grew up fighting against the Foot Clan and Shredder, still in the shadows, mostly at night. During the day they were basically regular (albeit mutant) citizens of NYC. _

_Thank you guys for the support you're giving me on my books. I find that writing is still a great creative outlet for me, and I enjoy doing it more now that I'm not in college. _

_-Queen_


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

It didn't take much to convince Leonardo to go out to the Morning Star Restaurant for breakfast on Sunday; the doctor was determined to soak up as much of New York as he could during his visit, so he was more than willing to indulge himself...except when it came to the subject of Raphael buying their food.

"No, I won't let you do that."

"Why not? You're my guest, aren't you?"

Leo shook his head, still protesting even as they walked into the restaurant. "Hospitality only goes so far, Raph. You need money more than I do right now, especially with your current job situation."

The detective scowled and crossed his beefy arms. The topic was still a sore spot for him, and he didn't feel much like discussing it at the moment. "So what? Because your paycheck is bigger than mine, that means I can't pay for your food?"

Harlequin green and Persian blue met, crackling against each other, both too stubborn to yield.

"Raph, over here!"

Raph broke from his staring contest to glance at the corner booth and a huge grin lit up his face as he all but dragged Leo across the room. "Hey, Donnie." He glanced at the shorter turtle beside him and cleared his throat. "Uh...did I mention my brother is in town?"

"No, you didn't," the doctor replied, forcing a grin. He was already feeling out of his depth - there were far too many eyes on him, probably due to the news report from a couple days ago, and if people kept staring he was going to-

"Donatello," the stranger in front of him offered, holding out his hand and interrupting Leo's dangerous train of thought. "My brothers call me Donnie."

"Leonardo," he replied coolly, shaking the proffered appendage. "I wasn't aware that we were going to have another guest at breakfast this morning."

"I hope you don't mind," Donnie said. "I haven't seen Raphael in a few years and since I had the weekend off, I was going to come down anyway, but if I had known he had a guest I wouldn't have barged in."

Despite himself, Raph was impressed. His lanky sibling had just managed to make it seem like pure coincidence that he was down here at the same time as Leonardo - but whether or not Leo would buy it was another story.

"Don't worry. I fly back to Seattle tomorrow evening, so you'll be able to spend as much time with Raph as you like."

Raphael winced at the frostiness of the young doctor's voice. _He definitely didn't buy it._ But then again, who could blame him after the information he received last night?

"You're leaving tomorrow?"

Leo smiled tightly, keeping his eyes on Donnie as he spoke. "I got a call late last night. They want me back at work the day after tomorrow." It wasn't _exactly_ true - the hospital had actually given him a few more days off, claiming he deserved them after working so hard lately - but things in New York were starting to heat up and truth be told, Leonardo wasn't exactly sure he was comfortable with everything. It felt as if the barrel of a gun was pointed at his face, and any second now it was going to go off.

The only problem was, he didn't know who was holding the gun.

When Leo glanced at Raph, he almost faltered in his resolve; the detective looked absolutely crushed. "I don't want to take up any more of your time than I already have," he added, feeling guilty.

"S'not like I have anywhere to go," Raph mumbled, but Leo's keen hearing picked up on it anyway.

Unfortunately, as did Donnie's. "What do you mean?"

Raph's expression became flustered and even a little panicked as he tried to think up a convincing lie, and Leo sighed internally. As uncomfortable as the twenty-eight year old was with the current situation, he wasn't going to watch his host go down in flames.

"He took time off so he could show me around the city," Leo stepped in smoothly. The lanky turtle glanced between them for a long moment before nodding.

"It's about time this hothead relaxed," he replied, nudging his older brother, who immediately protested the accusation.

"So, Donnie, where do you work?" the doctor asked, hoping to steer the conversation in a less..._hostile_ direction.

"I'm a professor at MIT."

"Oh? What do you teach?"

It was like he'd flipped a switch; Donatello immediately began to explain about his degree in advanced biochemical engineering and how much his students were learning and the way his latest inventions would improve quality of life for humans and mutants alike. It was only thanks to his medical degree and expertise that Leonardo was able to keep up - but even with his attention focused on the excited turtle across the table, he didn't miss the grateful look that Raphael sent him.

"Donnie is a certified genius," Raph finally interrupted, gently but firmly reminding his brother that he'd been talking nonstop for almost fifteen minutes straight.

Don flushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry. It's just nice to talk to someone who actually understands what I'm saying."

"You live and work around other scientists, Dee. Surely someone else on campus understands."

Something flashed through the professor's mahogany eyes and his shoulders slumped just the tiniest bit. Leo got the impression that it wasn't the first time the two siblings had had this discussion.

"I don't mind," he said quickly. "It's refreshing to see such vitality in the world of science."

"You...you think so?"

"Yeah, I do." And just like that, the spark of excitement was back in Donnie's eyes. He beamed, and despite the long-suffering look on Raph's face, Leo grinned back.

* * *

The two turtles parted ways with their coffee-loving counterpart around twelve-thirty - long after they should've been done with breakfast, as Raphael succinctly pointed out after they left Morning Star.

"You seem almost upset about the fact that I enjoyed meeting your brother," Leo replied dryly, raising an eye ridge.

"I'm not upset. I'm glad you liked him, honestly. I was kind of worried that he might make you uncomfortable."

"Why would he make me uncomfortable?" _And why would you be worried about it?_ was the added, unspoken question.

The detective shook his head, shoving his hands into the pockets of the oversized hoodie he was wearing - a hoodie that, Leo now noticed, had a black Sharpie drawing of a turtle on the front, right over Raphael's heart, and the faded lettering of someone's name underneath.

"Who's Mikey?"

Raph looked surprised for a moment before he realized what the other mutant had seen. "Oh. He's my other brother."

"Where does he live?"

"California. He's a bigshot artist out there." Despite the situation and the ugly way the brothers had parted ways, Raph felt a surge of pride as the words fell from his mouth. Michelangelo had worked long and hard to get where he was; growing up, they'd had next to nothing, and still the kid had shown promise. It was only when they'd gotten to New York that he was really able to go full-throttle with his artistic talents, and when he moved to California, he quickly shot up into the big leagues with the major artists.

_Damn straight I'm proud of him._

"Do you miss him?"

Those neon eyes were watery and bright as they fixed on the twenty-eight year old's face. "Yeah," Raph admitted softly. "I do. Every day."

**A/N: Sorry if the ending was a little bit odd. I liked the direction in which the chapter was going, but I couldn't really figure out how to end it. **

**Also, for the record, Don ended up paying for the meal. I couldn't figure out how to put that in there, either. XD**


End file.
